Rope railway.



T. THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 24, 1913.

Patented Sept 1, 1914.

13 BHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES -|NVENTOR Trrus THUNHART ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS FETERS C0.. PHOrO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. u c.

T. THUNHA RT.

ROPE RAILWAY.

-v AIPLIUATION FILED D2014, 1913. 1,109,371

Patented Sept, 1, 1914.

13 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

WITNESSES I INVENTVOR Tn-us TH NHART A TORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTO-LIYHQ. WASHINGTON. D. c

T. THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY. APPLICATION FIL'ED DEC. 24, 1913.

1,109,371 Patented Sept. 1,1914.

13 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ngm

WITNESSES mvz q-ron Ti Tus THUN HART ATTO RNEY THE NORRIS FETERS Co. PHOTO'LITHCL, WASHINGTON 04 C.

T. THUNH-ART ROBE RAILWAY. APPLICATION FILED DE0 24, 1913 1,109,371 Patented Septl, 1914.

1a SHEETS-SHEET 4.

INVEN TOR 'fiTus T'HuNH RT ATTORNEY? THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LI "10-, WSNING'I'DN, D C- T. THUNHART. ROPE RA-ILWAY.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 24, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1,1914.

13 SHEETSBHEET 5.

- |NVENTOR fiTo s Tmm HART ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. D. C.

T. THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY;-

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 24, 19x3.

1 109 ,37 1 Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

13 SHEBTS-SHEET 6.

WITNESS ES INVENTOR 4 Tl rus THUNHHRT fia iugga I BY ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO'LITHQ, WASHINGTON, 0.6.

T. THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24, 1913.

1,109,371, Patented Sept 1,1914.

13 BHEETS SHEET 7.

wrruessss mVEu'roR Tnrus THUNHART ATTORNEY$ I'HE NORRIS FEIERS CO..PIIO10-LII'HO. WASHINuruM I). c.

T. THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY.

APPLIUATION FILED DEC. 24, 1913.

13 SHEETS-SHBET 8.

INVENTOR Trrus TH um HART wwwo ATT RN YS THE NORRIS PETERS co PHOTU-LITHO. WASHINGTON, D. c

T. THUNH ART. ROPE RAILWAY. APPLICATION FILED DEO.. 24, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914,

13 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

JQUL

INVENTOR Trrus THUNHART I ATTORNEY T, THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY. APPLIO'ATIOI YIILED DEG. 2 4, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 1911 Hull- ,11%

I IIIIII I T a A H N U VH MT 5 w T WITNESSES ATTOR NEYS 7rd: NORRIS PETERS 50.. PHOTO-LlTHO-, WASHINGTON. D c.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

13 sums-sum 11.

III. III

& 1 a 0A N T v u a aw w WT T I A T Y 5 THE NORRIS PETERS COH'PHOTO-LITHON WASHINGTON. D. C.

T. THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY.

APPLICATION FILED 1120.24, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

13 SHEETS -SHEET 12.

@ NN F 1 W 1@ Q We w 3 f {L o E H wrfNEssEs INVENTOR T: TUS THUNHART I I I ATTORNEYS IHE NORRIS PETERS ca, PHOm-LITHO., WASHINGTON. D. c.

T. THUNHART.

ROPE RAILWAY.

APPLIOATION FILED DEG. 24, 1913.

Patented Sept. 1,1914.

l3 SHEETSSHBET 13.

WITNE sags w mm N T R NW. v 0 T T m A T HE NORRIS FETErQ' co Plmw llrnou \VASHINGTIJN, a. c.

Tra ns ttens; or LEOBEN, Isr I'A; iesmasvmmy.

" Rm RA LWAY. f

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, TITUs TH NEART,

architect, a'subjec't of the Emperorof Austria-I-lungary, residing at 'Roseggerstrasse 10, Leoben, Styria, inthe Empire of Ans tria -.;1 lungary, have invented certai'n new and useful Improvements in -Rope Railways, of which the following, is a Specification. I

My inventionrelates to suspension railways or rope'ways comprising cars suspendedfrom severalcarrying'ropes. f,

According to thesinvention the carrying ropes form two groupslocated side by side I whereon the trolleycarrying-the carfiruns, 15.

the car beingsuspended between the groups. Secondly, I arrange at the standards and close to the carrying ropeswhlch run continuously. overthe supports a guide rail which projects above the ropes and raises thecar from, and permitslongitudinal i'disrfi placement of the same. ThirdlygI arrange on the standards freely rotatable grooved rings which guide thecarrying ropes and v are themselves guided on theQsta-ndards by means of rollers. F ourtlily, fI provideaa commontensioningdevice fononej rope of the one groupof carrying'ropes and fo'r the corresponding rope of the other'group, the arrangement 'beingsuchthat if oneof ,the

carrying ropes breaks,l thekcorresponding rope of the othergroup is simultaneously untensioned while the remaining ropes fire- X inaintensioned. Fifthly, I employ in.:addi-. tionpto the traction rope which isdeta'chably:

connected in known manner with the car, a second traction rope WlllCll connects the cars.

together and at the stations alone-conveys, the cars, released from the; former tractionrope, from the incomingontogtheoutgoing track. Further, I employ, various novel devices which are described hereinafter,

To these ends, the invention consistsin the construction, arrangement and combination of. parts c lescribed hereinafter and pointed out in the claims.

.One illustrative emb accompanying drawings, wherein:

a standard showing the supports for the *arrying ropes and cars, Fig. 3 is a side.

' elevation, partly injsection, of said standdiment of my in-,. ventlon and a modification of part thereof; are represented byway of example in the,

/ Specification ofgiietters Iatent. Iv Patented Sept 1, Application filedDeeember 24, 1913, Serial No. 808,616.

' ard, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views; Figs. 6 and 7 arefs1de-and end elevation,

respectively, showing the tensioning devlcesfor the carrying ropes; Flgs. 8, 8 and top planview of'a detail of said station;

Figsj10, 11 and '12 are'side and end elevatlons, and plan,- respectively, on an enlarged scale, showing the standard mounted on the I ctrolley; Figs..13and -13 are side elevations, partly in section, of'left and'right portions,

respectively, of the lower station of the. suspension railway,Figsxl ifand 15 are top plan views, .partly in horizontal section, and vertical section, respectively, showing one form of driving pulley for a traction rope,

Figs; .16 and 17 are like views, respectively,

showing a modified fornnand Figs. 18, 19

,75 andfiZO are'detail views of parts of the pulley shown inFigs. "14 and 15; Figs. 21 and 22 ar'eelevati'on and plan, respectively, show- 2 in'grails at a junction station between two sections'of railway, Figs. 23 and 2 1 are eleproved suspension railway or vropeway the carrying ropes 1 are so arranged in pairs or.

groups that they constitute a track of comarativel broad a e'the car 2 bein sus- D b ,7 b

pended between the groups. For this purposethe'car2 is suspended from atrolley comprising the-frame. 3 carrying rollers :1 .which run on the ropes'l. .To this frame 3 are connected. the traction ropes 5. In this iarrangement; thecar of the railway is firmly supported, it :being impossiblefor the carryin'giropes to jump out of their guides because the carwhich is'suspended at both sides runs very smoothly. For carrying the: car 2two gorfl morecarrying-"ropes may be employed at geach side'of thecar. In the embodiment two carrying ropes 1 are shown at each side of the car. Eachcarryingrope. 1' is supported :by: and. :longitudina lly displaceable on a curved'ba-r, or segment'i'fastened to each. .standard 6 by means of brackets 8 orthe flike,; frollers 9 being-journaled in the seg ments at, some little distance apart. These pended portion of therope, the rope can move readlly over the place of support and rollers have a groove 10 into which the i11 ternal rib 12 of a ring. or hoop 11 takes, and

in which said ring is guided and can run freely. The rings 11 depend freely below'the rollers 9 and eachhas in-its outerperipherya long bearing surface movable in the 'longi tudmal direction of the'rope so that when the car passes from the standard to the sus 1s not sharply bent. The rings 11 can be dispensed with if the rollers 9 are; arranged sufficiently close together and are'provided with a, groove for receiving the carrying ropes. Alternatively, instead of employing the rings 11. and the rollers 9, sheaves may be journaled on the standardsfi. The diameter ofthe ring 11 or. sheave will preferably be greater than the vertical dimensions of the car. This mode of supporting the carrylng ropes is rendered possible owing to the Icar being suspended at bothsidesf A segment-like rail 14: is preferably; mounted either alongside or between the segments 7 and projects above the. ropes 1' supported near it. This rail is of such a length that both its ends are located lower than the ropes where they leave the place of support. Be

tween the wheels & of theca-r there is-a groove 15 corresponding to a rail 14, so that the. wheels run on therails 141 as the car travels over the supporting places and do not therefore rest on the carrying ropes."

Consequently, the carrying ropes relieved of weight in this manner can freely-adjust themselves longitudinally so that when the car passes over from the rail l l onto the freely suspended portion of the rope no sudden stresses are set up in the latter, and

therefore the ropes are protected from being overloaded. Moreover, owing" 'to this arrangement the car travels more smoothly. lVhen the car passes from the carrying ropes 1 onto the rails 14, or vice versa,-no shocks can occur, because the curvatureof the rails 1% gradually changes into that of the ropes. The standards 6 may be built ofiron or wood or of both materials combined.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the ropes l l and 1, 1 of the two groupsof carrying ropes are each led over a tens onmg sheave ently of one another. "Owing to this, a r;

rangement, in the event ofa rope, e.-g. 1 breaklng, the rope l vassociated with it be} comes untensioned, while the other pair of carrying ropes l andl remains fully .ten-

sioned and capable of sustaining theload, so thatworking need not be interrupted; The

carrying ropes can therefore be exchanged -to'a standard l3of suitable construction,

over a long support 7, which is firmly mounted at the requ site slant on several uprlghts of the standard and are anchored in the ground For driving the cars not only an upper traction rope 5 detachably connected to the latter, but also a second traction rope 20 mounted below the former is employed, this latter ropebeing fastened to standards 21 mounted on the trolleys 3 and connecting the cars one with another. This traction rope 20 constitutes a safety device in case the rope 5 breaks or a car becomes detached from the latter; further, the rope 20 determines and maintains the distances between the cars. The traction rope 5 is led in known manner about adriving pulley 23 driven by an electric motor 22 and about a tensioning device 21. The second traction rope 20 runs to a horizontal driving pulley 25 driven by an electric motor26'having a common starting switch with the motor 22. From the or owing to a stop. fixed on the upper trac :tlon rope 5, and the cars are now. drawn along the rails 27 only by the lower traction rope 20. This rope 20, is guided at the standard 13 over a row of rollers 29 so arira nged. that they do not prevent free move 1 ment of the car (Figs. 8 and 11). As clearly shown in Figs. 8310, Hand 12 the standard 121 on each trolley 3 carries a lateral guide roller 30 whichais located higher than the traction rope 20, and when the cars reach- 1 the end ofthe rails 27 the roller 30 runs onto ;a middle rail 31, which leads to the horizontal pulley25. As the car is driven by the rope 20, the roller 30 leaves the rail 31 and runs on the rim of the pulley 25 which is so "formed that it -now carries the car, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and transfers it from the incoming'to the outgoing part of the railway, During this part of its travel the standard; 21 on the trolley 3 is pressed against the periphery of the pulley 25 by the pull on the rope20.

; Referring toFigs. 10 to 12, the standard 21 gonfthe trolley 3 carries at its upper, forked end the clamping jaws 32 for securely. holding the upper traction rope 5.. These jaws fare guided vertically in the standard 21 and soconnected therewith by links 33 that when they are raised they open, while when they are lowered they close. Both movements can be e'fiected automatically by. means of stopswhich are located near the track and coaot with the outer ends of thejaws 32 carrying antifriction rollers 34. In this case a stop 35 is 'arranged below themouthof the jaws 32; the stop bridges overlthe gapfbetween thesejaws and is carried by one of the jaws, but does not prevent free relativev movement thereof. When the rope 5 enters the 32 it bears on the stop35 and forces 3 and so adjust themselves to the direction of pull on the rope 20. when entering and leaving, as clearly shown in Fig. 14. The aws the jaws 32 down so that they close under the action of the links 33 and firmly clamp the rope 5. The j aws-32 are provided" above their common pivot each withan inner cavity. 32 (Fig. 11) forming together a slot when the aws are closed, and pins 36 being pushed in said slot between the jaws in their lowered or clamping position, hold the aws fastagainst raising andsecure them in said clamping position. Before releasing the rope 5 from the trolley 3:the. pins are forced back so thatthey release the jaws 32 and said jaws may be raised so thattheyopen and release the rope. For actuating the pins 36, (a :tra1ne137 is employed which is guided transversely on the standard 21 in whose slanting longitudinal slots 38 the pins 36 are held (Fig.212). Thereforerwhen'the frame 37 is, displacedin one direction .theseflpinsengage the jaws 32,1and when this frame is displaced inthe other directionthey-are dis.

engaged from these j aws. For moving the frame 37 to and irov stops 39. are, arranged at l desired places alongside the track, and these.

stops are adapted tobear against lugs 40, 41 on the frame In oneprong 42 of the forked end of the standard 21 is j ournaled. the roller 30 which carries the car f-on the pulley 25.J,Ab,out half Way up this standard and 011 the side thereof remote from the roller 30 is arranged ,acrossepiece 43 having two eyes into which the traction rope 20 is fastened- This cross-piece is mounted at the sideof thestandard 21 inx'order to enable the traction rope 20 to be guided overthe rollers 29. Nevertheless the traction ropes. 5, 20 are located sufficiently close to one another in order that when only one rope, e. 9.20, is in action, no change in the correct position and certainty of movement may occur. The ropes 5 and 20 may obviously be located exactly one over. the other. e

- As shown in Figs. 14 and 15,,the sheave 25 driving the traction rope 20 is provided with several clamping jaws 46. which are located in the grooves 45 (Fig .18) and are uniformly distributed around theperiphery of the sheave. These aws are guided radially between the lugs 48in the rim of the sheave by means. of U-shaped springs .47

:at the ends of -which jaws are mounted.

outwardly, the ends thereof I together r with the jaws 46 1nove apart, whereas-whenthe spring 47"is pusheduinwardly these ends close owing to pressure of the rods 49 overcoming the action ofthe spring. In the position. in which the. jaws arev pushed back, e. in their closed position,*the throat of the jaws. 46 formsa continuation of the groove45 which is interrupted at the jaws. These jaws 46 at the ends. of the spring 47 are rotatable about pins-5O (Figs- 19, 20)

46 are broader than the spring 47 and take one into the other owing to the provision of lugs 51; the latter also bridge over the space between the jaws even when the latter are open and form a'stop for the entering-rope 20 which, as the sheave rotates further,

{drives the springs 47 inwardly and thus -closesjthe jaws 46. ranged at the sides of the springs they do {not prevent the jaws closing andopening l freely. Eachspring 47 Tofthe jaws 46 abuts }at its inner end against a radial guide rod; 552 carrying at its innerend a laterally As the lugs 51 are armounted roller 53. This1,,device is for Eta,-

cilitating' the opening of the jaws. To this end, at the place at-which the rope 20: leaves the sheave "25 a stationary, radial ca1n54 having an;outwardly slanting faceis provided, against which the rollers, =53 run and thus, drive outward thesprings 47 and open the jaws 46. Owing tothe jaws being auto matically closed the standard .21 is caused to bear properly on the periphery of the, sheave 25 at the place at which the rope 20 isconnected to this standard, the jaws .46 remaining however partly opened, whereas when the jaws are positively closedithe con- Lstruction of the apparatus must be very precise in' .order to avoid damagevto the stand ardor to;the tractionropen In a suitable modification of the sheave 25 (Figs. 16 and. :17) the j aws. 46 may, however, be positively closed. In this modification; thesprings 47 are provided with transverse pins56 guidedin radial slots 55 in the sheave; eajcl -pin carries at. its ends antifriction rollers :67 which areguided in stationary, non-circular grooves 58,and which radially displace the;

spring 47 to close and open the jaws 46,,,In,

bothformspf the sheave ordriving pulley 25 it has on its rim a sufliciently wide track on which the rollers 3,0,0n the standards 21 of-thetrolleys'3,can'run. i g At-the lower'station (Figs. 13, 13) the weights 18,,19 with the carrying ropes 1 are curved rails 60 which run out horizontally and guide the cars to the upper rails 31, on which the cars are guided by means of the rollers 30 on the standards 21 until they arrive at the carrying ropes 1 are tensioned by means ofq (Figs. 6, 7.) Associated,

clamping pulley25fwhich transfers the cars;

to the return rail-60. The pulley 26 and the two rails 31 are carried by a framework 62 which can travel on rails Gland which is subjectedto'the action of a tensioning weight 63'wl1ich keeps the traction rope 20 atits-proper tension. Above the guide rails 60 are mounted guide rails 64 onwhich the rollersof the standards 21 run and keep the trolleys 3 on the rails 60 so that the trolleys cannot be lifted from the latter by a pull on the ropes 5 and 20. The return rails 60 rise gradually toward the guide rails 64 so that they elevate the car 2, 311p to the traction rope 5, the clamping jaws 32 being pressed downwardly, and the traction rope 5 which enters between the jaws in frontof the rails 64 and in some cases partly closes the same being clamped. The traction rope 5' is guided in the station by suitable sheaves 65. i

Long lengths of railway are divided inknown .manner into short sections, each of which has its own drive, stations-being erected at the junctions. -F or transferring the cars'from one section to another I pro vide the following arrangements :As shown inl Figs. 21 and 22, the passenger car 2 is hung-with its suspension axle 66 in ahooklike support 67 on the trolley 3 (Figs. 23, Tlie moutll of this hook, which is preferably 'adouble hook, is closed by means of a verticallyguided pin 69 which is acted on by a closingspring 6S and is connected to one: end of a two armed lever 70* ful-' crumed on the trolley 8; the other end of this lever projects from the side of ;the trolley and preferably; carries an antifriction roller-71. In front of the clamping pulleys 25 areal-ranged guide rails 72, which rock the lever 7 Oof the car2 passing below them andraise the pin 69 against the action-of its spring, thus opening the hook 67 and consequently allowingthecar 2 to be-unhooked from the trolley 3. For raising and unhooking the car. 2 as wellas for propelling the same farther, I provide at the stations trucks 73 which run onrails 74: which are up gradewhen the car'3 is unhooked and down-grade when the latter is re-suspended (Figs; 21, 22). The trucks 73 canbe driven either separately by an electric 1notor,orby a common' traction rope, -0r..-in any other suitable manner. In front of the clamping pulley 25 at. a" sta'tion a truck 73 travels under the arriving car 2, runs up the upgrade rails 74 until it unhooks. the car 2, whereupon the latter is' lifted' out of the hook 67 which is opened by the rail72 the rails 7 4 Where it may be stopped to discharge and receive passengers whereupon it travels on tothe clamping pulley 25 of gthe other section (Fig. 25). Beyond this ,pulley- 25 the car is first resuspended in the hook 67 of the trolley 3which is-opened by the guide rail 72, isthen lowered owing to the down-grade rails 74 and is finally re- !leased from-the truck 73. -By means of a .switch or the like, this truck is then trans {ferred to the rails 74 of the return track. 3111 this manner discharging and loading may be carried out independentlyof the motion of the cars traveling on the railway. {A similar-arrangement can be provided at the termini simply for the purpose of relieving the clamping pulley 25 which other- ;wise transfers the trolleys 3 together with the cars 2.

What I claim "as my invention and de- Esireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1.In a suspension railway or rope-way, ,thecombination of supports, carrying ropes passing continuously -.over the supports wvithout being secured to them, a guide rail fprojecting above said ropes Without deflecting the same, said guide rail being adapted .to raise the car-fronr the carrying ropes, .and means on each support for guiding and ,allowing longitudinal displacement of said ropes, substantially as described.

,- 2. Ina suspension railway, the combination of a plurality of carrying ropes, standards, supports on the latter for supporting ,said ropes, a guide rail mounted on each support, extending upwardly above said ropes and being adapted-to raise the car from the carrying ropes, each support conijprisinga plurality of rollers, and a grooved ring'carried by said rollersand adapted to guide and-support a rope, substantially as described. 3. In a suspension railway or rope-way, jthe combination of two groups of carrying ropes arranged one beside another, a trolley supported by said ropes, and a car sus-' .pendedfrom the trolley between the groups of ropes; one ropeof one group atone side of the car being connected to a rope ofanother group at the other side of the car, and means for tensioning those ropes of two groups which are connected together, substantially as described.

4L. Ina suspension railway, the combination of-two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of trolleys supported by said ropes, a plurality-10f cars each suspended from a trolley and depending between the said groups, a traction rope detachably connected to the trolleys, anda: second traction rope connecting the trolleys one with another, substantially as described.

'5. Ina suspension railway, the combination of two rope ways each comprising two groupsof carrying ropes, a plurality of trolleys supported said ropes, a' plurality of cars each suspended from atrolley and ,depending between said groups, a traction rope detachably connected to the trolleys,

and a second traction rope connecting'the trolleys one with another, the said second traction rope being adapted to transfer the trolleys from one rope way to the other after their release from the former traction rope,

substantially as described;

6. In a suspension'railway, the combination of the two groupsof carrying ropes,a plurality of trolleys supported by said ropes, a plurality of cars each suspended from a trolley and depending between said groups,

a standard mounte'don each trolley, a tract1on, rope, means on'said standard for clampf ing and releasing said traction rope, a pair v of'eyes mounted on saidstandard approxi- Inately. directly below". said means, and 'a 1 second traction rope divided into'sections connecting the eyesofstandards on consecutive trolleys, substantially as described.

. "7-. "In a suspension railway, the combination of two groups of carrying ropes, aplurality of trolleys supported by said ropes, a plurality'of cars each suspended from a trol ley and depending between said groups, a standard'inounted on eachtrolley, a traction rope, a pair of clamps mounted on said standard, stationary abutments alongside the railway, means carried'by the standard and adapted to coact'withsaid abutments for opening-and closing 'saidcla'mps to release.

and clamp said traction rope, and a second traction rope connectingfthe'cars one with another, substantially asdescribed. 8. In a suspension ra lway, the combination of two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of trolleys supported by said ropes,

a plurality of cars each suspended from a trolley and dependingbetween the ropes of said groups, a standard mounted on' each trolley, a traction rope, a pai'rof clamps mounted on said standard andnormally embracing said traction rope, a pair of: pins slidable in said standardfor opening and closing said clamps, stationary abutments alongside the railway, means carried by each standard and adapted to coact with said abutments for actuating said pins, and a ing said second traction rope, a standard mounted on each trolley, and a roller mounted on said trolley for snpporting the latter on the-upper face ofsaid pulley, substantially'as'described.

10. In a suspension railway, the combinal tion of two ropeways each comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of cars each suspended from and depending between said groups, atraction rope connecting the cars one withanother, a driving pulleylmounted between the ropeways, means .forsupporting the cars on said driving pulley, and means mounted in said'driving pulley for clamping and releasing said traction rope, substantially asdescribed.

' 11. In a suspension railway, the combination of two ropeways each comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of cars each suspended from and depending between said groups, atractionrope connecting the cars one with another, a driving pulley mounted between the ropeways,

means for supporting the cars on said driving pulley, and means mounted in said drivingpulley for automatically clamping and releasing saidtraction rope, substantially as described. I I

12. In a suspension railway, the combination of two ropeways each comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of cars each suspended from and depending between said groups, a traction rope con necting the cars one with another, a driving pulley mounted between the ropeways,

means for supporting'the cars on said drivng pulley, and posltlvely actuated means mounted'in said driving pulleyfor clamping and releasing said traction rope, substantially as described.

13. Ina suspenslon railway, the combination of tworopeways each comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of cars each suspended from and depending be tween said groups, a traction rope connecting the cars one with another, a driving pulley mounted between the ropeways, meansfor supporting the cars on said driving pulley, a plurality of normally open clamps for clamping said traction rope, said clamps being radially slidable in said pulley and having lugs extending across and inside their operative faces, means coacting with the pulley for closing saidclamps on their inward movement, a stationary cam, and means co'acting with said cam for reopening said clamps after closure, substantially as described. I 'j 14. In a suspension railway, the combina tion of two ropeways each comprising two groups of carrying ropes, aplurality of cars each suspended from and depending between said groups, a traction rope eonnecting the cars one. with another, a driving pulley mounted between the ropeways, means for supporting the cars on said driving pulley, a plurality of clamps mounted in the periphcry of the pulley and adapted to clamp andtween said groups, a traction rope connecting thecars one with another, adri'ving pulley mounted between theropeways, means for supporting the cars on'said driving pulley, and a plurality of clamps mounted in said pulley and adapted to clamp] and release the traction rope, the jaws of said clamps being pivotally mounted on the limbs thereof, substantially as described.

' 16. In a suspension railway, the combination of'two ropeways each. comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of trolleys supported by said ropes, a plurality of cars each suspended from a trolley. and depending between said groups, a traction rope detachably connected to the trolleys, and a second traction rope connecting. the trolleys one with another; a pulley located between said ropeways and carrying said second rope, and means for applying a ten,- sion to said pulley laterally of its" axis, sube stantially as described, Y i 17. In a' suspension railway, the combi-: nation of two ropeway's' each comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of trolleys supported by said ropes, a plurality of cars each suspended from; a trolley and depending between said groups,- a traction rope detachably connected to the trolleys, and a second traction rope connecting the trolleys one with another; a frame located at one end of each ropeway and adapted to travel in the direction of the ropeways, a pulley mounted on said, frame and carrying said second traction rope, and a tensioning weight operatively connected to said frame in its direction of travel, substantially. as described.

18. In a suspension -railway, the combination of two ropeways divided into a plural ity of sections, each ropeway comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of trolleys supported by said ropes, of cars each detachably suspended from a trolley and depending between said groups, a traction rope connecting the trolleys on one section one with another, a pulley. carrying said traction rope located at the end of each section, andmeans for detaching said cars from said trolleys when the former approach the pulleys and for suspending the a plurality cars on the trolleys of the next section, sub- 'stantially as described. A

19. In a suspension railway, the con1bination of two ropeways divided into a plurality of sections, each ropeway comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of trolleys'supported by said ropes, a plurality of cars each detachably suspended from a trolley and depending between said groups,

a traction rope connecting the trolleys on two groups of carrying ropes,.a plurality of trolley hooks supported by said ropes, a plurality of cars each detachably suspended from a trolley hook and depending between said groups, a traction rope connecting the trolleys on one section one with another, a pulley carrying said traction rope located at the end of each section, and means for detaching a car. from a trolley on one section when thefsame approaches a pulley and. for suspending the car on a trolley on the next section automatic means normally closing each hook, stationary abutments located nearthe' ropeways, and means adapted to coact with said abutments for opening said automatic means, substantially as described. 2'1. Ina suspension-railway, the combination oftwo ropeways divided into a plurality of sections, each ropeway comprising two groups of carrying ropes, a plurality of trolley hooks supported by said ropes, a plurality of cars each detachably suspended from a trolley hook, and depending between said groups, a traction rope connecting the trolleys on one section one with another, a pulley carrying said traction rope located at the end of each section; a track comprising up graderails at the end of one section and down-grade rails at the beginning of the next, and a truck movable on said rails for raising a car from one hook and lowering thesame OIllJOEEtIlOtllBl' hook, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I TITUS THUNHART. Witnesses:

KARL REHAK, VAGHEW PLATZER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,=by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 13:0. 

